The 2000s were a decade when medium and small-budgeted movies could do big business before being forgotten.
We look back as to why.
How many of these do you remember?
It surrendered the top spot after a week toScream 3.
Watch Eye of the Beholder on Amazon.
The film is anti-terrorist, he insisted.
It didnt really win over critics, but it found an audience, grossing over $70 million.
Watch Rules of Engagement on Amazon.
Lets just say you wouldnt have guessed that from the poster.
We talked about the story in more detail here.
Urban Legends: Final Cut
September 2000, One Week
Call this the tail end of theScreameffect.
Teen horror sequelUrban Legends: Final Cuts most interesting feature is who directed it.
John Ottman is more commonly known as an Oscar winning movie editor and composer.
This is his only feature directorial outing.
It aint great either, and naturally enough it didnt turn out to be the Final Cut.
A futureUrban Legendmovie would follow in 2005.
We just await the (inevitable) reboot…
Buy Urban Legends: Final Cut on Amazon.
It had a week at number one in the U.S.
Watch Exit Wounds on Amazon.
It gets bonus points for including Carrie Fisher and Anne Bancroft in its cast too…
This one is definitely worth seeking out if you havent, or revisiting if you have.
Watch Heartbreakers on Amazon Prime.
Peter Hyams took the helm, and Justin Chambers took on the role of dArtagnan.
As youve never seen it before, chirped the poster.
That said, Brittany Murphy and Sean Bean proved able support.
Douglas plays a child psychiatrist, and inevitably theres a crime to solve.
Watch Dont Say a Word on Amazon.
Watch K-Pax on Amazon.
Buy John Q on Amazon.
The Time Machine
March 2002, One Week
Poor H.G.
His classic 1895 novel deserved a far better treatment than it ultimately got here.
Simon Wells directed for the most part, with Gore Verbinski finishing the shoot when Wells suffered from exhaustion.
But this was not a good adaptation.
It was a moderately successful one, mind, grossing $123 million worldwide in the end.
Watch The Time Machine on Amazon.
Its from director John Polson (Hide and Seek), and mixesFatal Attractionwith email.
Nowadays, Jason Blum would fund this for half the price.BarbershopknockedSwimfanoff the number one spot.
Watch Swimfan on Amazon.
An animated sequel eventually went straight to DVD.
Watch Kangaroo Jack on Amazon.
Watch The Recruit on Amazon.
Bernie Mac co-stars, and Rock co-wrote the script too.
Watch Head of State on Amazon.
Along Came Polly
January 2004, One Week
So: we liked this one.
Watch Along Came Polly on Amazon.
The Forgotten
September 2004, One Week
Arf.
Couldnt resist including a film calledThe Forgottenin a list like this.
Its from director Joseph Ruben, best known for the tepid Julia Roberts vehicleSleeping with the Enemy.
Is she going mad?
Watch The Forgotten on Amazon.
A tidy profit was made, and two direct-to-DVD sequels followed.Hitchwould take its box office top spot.
Watch Boogeyman on Amazon.
It coined a cool $50 million.
It would be followed at the top of the U.S .box office by nnngh Vin Diesel inThe Pacifier.
We dont talk about that one though.
Watch Diary of a Mad Black Woman on Amazon.
Horror films still had some success though, and Simon Wests remake ofWhen a Stranger Callsis one example.
Camilla Belle, Tommy Flanagan, and Clark Gregg were in the cast this time.
By the time it left cinemas, it had nearly $67 million banked.
Yet few of those who went to see it ever had the desire to watch it again.
The Steve Martin-headlined remake ofThe Pink Pantherwas released the week after and took over as number one.
Watch When a Stranger Calls on Amazon.
Features that people still like to stream today.
Well, lets just say things didnt quite go the same way.
The CovenantfollowedDriven,Mindhunters, andExorcist: The Beginningas his fourth movie of the decade.
No matter: The Rock inGridiron Gangwould relieve it of top spot after one weekend.
Watch The Covenant on Amazon.
You know the template by now too.
The laugh marathon that wasNorbitknocked it off the top spot the week after.
People still chortle about that.
Watch The Messengers on Amazon.
For some reason, Ray Winstone and Donald Sutherland are in the mix too.
Its utterly avoidable, of course, but did take over $110 million worldwide.
Doug LimansJumperovertook it the week after.
Watch Fools Gold on Amazon.
Vantage Point
Director Pete Travis has barely been heard of since his departure from theDreddmovie.
Itll be interesting to hear, one day, his side of that particular story.
And presumably it was pivotal in landing Travis theDreddjob in the first place.
Watch Vantage Point on Amazon.
Shia LaBeoufsEagle Eyedefeated it at the box office the week after, mind.
Watch Lakeview Terrace on Amazon.
